The enhancin gene: One of the genetic determinants of population variation in baculoviral virulence

It was established that the virulence of the North American baculovirus strain LdMNPV-45 is almost two orders of magnitude higher than the virulence of the Asian strain LdMNPV-27 and does not depend on the test host population (gypsy moth). The Asian strain carries deletions in bro-p and vef-1 genes (82 and 91%, respectively). In accordance with the published data, the product of the latter can greatly increase the virulence of the virus. This result indicates that the population polymorphism of the virulence of baculoviruses can be explained by the vef-1 gene deletion.     

Genotypes and haplotypes in the insulin-like growth factors, their receptors and binding proteins in relation to plasma metabolic levels and mammographic density

Background

Chronic inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) afflict millions of people worldwide, but their pathogenesis is still not well understood. It is also not well known if distinct changes in gene expression characterize these diseases and if these patterns can discriminate between diseased and control patients and/or stratify the disease. The main focus of our work was the identification of novel markers that overlap among the 3 diseases or discriminate them from each other.

Methods

Diseased (n = 13, n = 15 and n = 12 in IBD, psoriasis and RA respectively) and healthy patients (n = 18) were recruited based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria; peripheral blood samples were collected by clinicians (30 ml) in Venous Blood Vacuum Collection Tubes containing EDTA and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated by Ficoll gradient centrifugation. RNA was extracted using Trizol reagent. Gene expression data was obtained using TaqMan Low Density Array (TLDA) containing 96 genes that were selected by an algorithm and the statistical analyses were performed in Prism by using non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test (P-values < 0.05).

Results

Here we show that using a panel of 96 disease associated genes and measuring mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood derived mononuclear cells; we could identify disease-specific gene panels that separate each disease from healthy controls. In addition, a panel of five genes such as ADM, AQP9, CXCL2, IL10 and NAMPT discriminates between all samples from patients with chronic inflammation and healthy controls. We also found genes that stratify the diseases and separate different subtypes or different states of prognosis in each condition.

Conclusions

These findings and the identification of five universal markers of chronic inflammation suggest that these diseases have a common background in pathomechanism, but still can be separated by peripheral blood gene expression. Importantly, the identified genes can be associated with overlapping biological processes including changed inflammatory response. Gene panels based on such markers can play a major role in the development of personalized medicine, in monitoring disease progression and can lead to the identification of new potential drug targets in chronic inflammation.     

An oligonucleotide microarray for detection and discrimination of orthopoxviruses based on oligonucleotide sequences of two viral genes

An oligonucleotide microarray for detection and identification of orthopoxviruses was developed. Genus specific and orthopoxvirus species-specific regions of the genes encoding chemokine binding and alpha/beta-interferon binding proteins were used as a target. The developed microarray allows the variola, monkeypox, cowpox, vaccinia, camel-pox and ectromelia (mousepox) viruses to be distinguished with a high degree of reliability.     

Specific antibodies and their role in the formation of antidiphtheria immunity

In human sera, studied with the use of the enzyme immunoassay, antidiphtheria postvaccinal antitoxic IgG and naturally acquired antibacterial IgG, IgM and IgA were detected. In the blood of children and adults aged up to 50 years antitoxic IgG were present at normal and high concentrations. In 50% of children antibacterial IgA were absent, while specific antibacterial IgM could be found at high concentrations. Changes in the content of antibacterial antibodies of different classes in sera were observed with age. More than 90% of adults had antibacterial IgA and IgG at normal and hig concentrations, while the level of IgM decreased. Under the influence of ecological, social, anthropogenic and other environmental factors the optimum levels of specific antibodies were replaced by anomalous ones, which led to an increased number of persons susceptible to diphtheria infection and in the intensity of the circulation of the infective agent. The deficiency of antidiphtheria antibacterial antibodies in the blood determined the necessity of correcting immunity by means of not only toxoid, but also bacterial antigens.     

Isolation and identification of an antibiotic from culture 8-86]

An antibiotic complex was isolated from culture 8-86 referred to Bacillus. The complex consisted of components 8-86A and 8-86B active against gram-negative organisms. By its physico-chemical properties such as IR and UV spectra, amino acid composition, specific rotation and fatty acid composition component 8-86B was shown to be close to polymyxin F.     

Oligonucleotide conjugates with minor groove ligands as probes for hybridization microarray chips

A possibility of using oligonucleotide conjugates with minor groove ligands as probes for hybridization microarray chips was studied. The oligonucleotide conjugates contain a hairpin ligand (MGB) composed of two tripyrrolcarboxamide residues with an aminocaproic acid residue as a linker and bound to the oligonucleotide duplex AT tract in a site-specific manner. We used as (5′-3′)-probes: GACAAGAp, GACAAAAp, GACAAGA-MGB, and GACAAAA-MGB. The oligonucleotides labeled with the Cy3 cyanine dye, Cy3-ACTAATTTTGTC and Cy3-ACTAATCTTGTC, were used as targets. The maximal MGB effect on the fluorescence level of microarray chip spots, which caused its fourfold increase as compared with the initial unmodified duplex, was observed for the duplex containing only AT pairs in the ligand binding site. The presence of AC and GT mutations in the binding site (imperfect duplexes) or a CG pair (perfect duplex) affect the change in fluorescence level to a considerably lesser degree.     

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Cd4+ T Lymphocytes of Patients with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Indicates Involvement of This Epigenetic Process in the Disease Immunopathogenesis

Molecular Biology - The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease of the CNS, includes autoimmune and neurodegenerative components. In most cases, patients develop...     

Immunomodulating properties of the antigens of the cell walls of nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae

The total protein fraction was obtained by extraction with nonionic detergent NP-40. The fraction composition and molecular parameters were studied with DDS-Na electrophoresis in polyacryl amide gel. Common properties of the Corynebacterium diphtheriae protein fraction 66 kD and an analogous fraction of the cell walls of staphylococci and the measles virus were shown with immunoblotting. Cell-mediated mechanisms of the immune response to contact with antigens of Corynebacterium diphtheriae cell walls were revealed.